Surgery Story Chapter Two...

I can see!!! I can SEE!!!!!

My left implantable contact lens procedure went really well on Monday, all my positive thinking must have paid off!

When I had my pre-op chat with my anaesthatist, I told her how last time the anaesthetic was the most fun part of the day (cos I got to see all those pretty lights!). She laughed, and then said that most people find that the second time around the drug doesn't work QUITE as well as the first time, and that I may find that I'll be a lot more "aware" during this second operation. UH-OH! Thats when I started to worry a bit... I didn't want to remember ANY of it!

When I got taken in the be prepped for theatre, the nurse there was the same one I had last time. She put gel in my eye and then said "Do you remember this from last time?".... "No..." I said. Then she put the electrode stickers on my chest and arms, and said "Do you remember THIS from last time?"... "No!!!" I said. LOL! She said that last time I was chatting away to them just before the op, I dont remember any of this!!!! I thought it was pretty funny.

Then I was given the drugs, and I got wheeled into the theatre. I was aware for quite a few minutes... I remember lying there looking left and right at all the equipment that was surrounding me. I wasn't afraid, more like interested. I think I blanked out for a while, but I came to with a bit of a start by feeling my eye being tugged around. Like I could feel movement, and the sensation of being poked and prodded, but I wasn't totally with it. From what seemed like a long way away I could hear my surgeon saying "Look up..... look down...." and I could feel my eye doing the things he said, but in the back of my mind I was thinking "Is he talking to ME???" (like, who else would he be talking to??!!!!!)

As soon as I got to recovery I laid right back, since this seemed to help last time. I stayed there for an hour before they tested my pressure, and then the nurse couldn't get the device to work properly, so we werent sure how it was going. I certainly felt fine, no pain, no headaches. My surgeon came for a look and said no, the pressure was high, so they gave me a tablet and put me on a drip. OMG the drip was horrible, the liquid was ice cold and it made my whole arm numb. The anaesthatist came and said that this drip would suck all the fluid out of my body (including my eye) so I might feel like I need to go to the toilet really soon... she said "You'll be fine, just cross your legs!!". Meanwhile I watched about 10 people arrive in recovery, and leave before me.... grrrrr very frustrating!

Anyway, 4 hours after surgery I was allowed to go home. Still a long time, but at least the pressure came down and I had no pressure headaches at all. I couldn't see a thing out of my eye that night, it was like someone had smeared a thick layer of vaseline all over my eye, it was worse than before the op.

Yesterday I went to see my surgeon again, and I couldnt believe it but I COULD READ THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE CHART!!!! I let out a little "WOOP!" at that!!! Everything is crystal clear and I cannot wipe the grin off my face, couldn't believe it - 24 hours after surgery I am CURED!! LOL slight exaggeration but I just cant get over how amazing it feels to be able to see, without any glasses or contact lenses!!

And now I get to relax at home with the rest of the week off work... hope everyone else is having as good a week as I am!